Other editors have mentioned the Outlander's awkward Bluetooth pairing process in previous blog posts, but I have some new issues to report.
Last weekend I paired my phone with the Outlander, but it didn't take long to be so frustrated with its poor functionality that I completely gave up on using the system.
As with most Bluetooth systems I've used, there's an awkward delay when placing or answering a call. If dialing out, the system doesn't let you hear the phone "ring." Its response is also slow enough that you rarely hear the person you're calling say hello. There's no way to know whether the call has gone through or if you're still stuck in the silent mystery world of digital cellular delays. This always gets the conversation off to a difficult start. Same deal when someone calls in. The notification works fine, but when you hit the answer button and say hello the caller almost never hears it the first time. Or the second. Or the third. The result is the same difficult start to every conversation.
These are problems I've encountered with most Bluetooth systems. In other cars I've figured out ways to work around them because the convenience and safety of hands-free phone use is worth the hassle. Maybe with enough time in the Outlander I'd sort them out here as well.
But it gets worse. Because of the inconsistency, I resorted to using my phone without the Bluetooth. Then, on two occassions, a few minuntes into both conversations, the Bluetooth magically started working. All of a sudden I was hearing the person on the other end of the phone through the speakers rather through the receiver. And my voice was being picked up by the car's microphone instead of by my phone. It was confusing and frustrating for everyone.
Josh Jacquot, Senior road test editor @ about 20,000 miles
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Sounds like what your saying is that if one were to buy this car, they should save their money and just get the regular stereo. With the money saved, one could buy a handheld GPS reciver.
Josh,
I've been using the Bluetooth feature on my Outlander for quite some time now and, although the system is not perfect, I am very satisfied with it. The problems you described as not being able to hear the ring when dialing out and experiencing a delay when answering a call; have not happened to me once.
I do know that different phone manufacturers and their models seem to implement the Bluetooth/handsfree feature in different ways. My previous HTC phone (Windows Mobile 4) was very clear. Now with my Motorola Q (Windows Mobile 5), the volume tends to self-adjust by lowering the voice after a moment of pause in the conversation and then coming back up after one resumes talking (this maybe the reason why your first “hello” may be hard to hear) . When connected to my wife's Sanyo Katana phone, the sound is also loud and clear and it doesn't seem to have this auto-volume adjusting behavior either.
redliner,
The Bluetooth hands-free option in the Outlander is independent of stereo / navigation configuration, although if you have the navigation option, is very well integrated with the rest of the car:
- it lowers the volume of the music playing and changes the sound equalization so that you can hear the directions more easily
- it knows to keep it quiet when you are on the phone.
- it is much quicker (hard disk based) than most other navigation devices. If you miss a step, the new route is calculated in about 1 second!
"Sounds like what your saying is that if one were to buy this car, they should save their money and just get the regular stereo. With the money saved, one could buy a handheld GPS reciver."
I have found that Lexus's Bluetooth system works very well. My family's RX has it, and I have found that there is not delay, and you can hear the ring when calling. It is actually very convienent
How does the Outlander's Bluetooth set up compare with the Versa's?
Does the Bluetooth on the Infiniti G35 work better or worse than the Outlander's ?